Fuel Fill / Vent / Pickup & Separator

[John G]

A bunch of questions here...

I've got my aluminum tank ready to be secured in my '73 19-6 and I'm a bit confused about fuel lines.  The tank has a 1.5" fill, 1/2" vent and 1/4" pickup.  The fill and vent I'm ok with.  The 1/4" pickup has me confused.  From the tank pickup I need to route a line to the stern to a water separator, then to my Yamaha outboard.  The existing line with primer bulb I had for the portable tanks is 3/8".  Am I missing something?  Should the 1/4" pickup be changed to a 3/8"?  Any suggestions on a water separator?

Here's the tank   https://www.wholesalemarine.com/rds-below-deck-30-gallon-belly-tank.html

[fitz73222]

If yours has the original floor, your fuel line from the tank comes through a hole in the floor, under the console sealed with silicone then is attached to a fuel shut off valve mounted on top of a teak block, then the fuel line ran down the rigging trough on the starboard side, all the way back to the transom, where you can mount your water separator near the outlet in the trough. 3/8 ID was the standard fuel line size. This is the way the 17, 19-6 and 22-2 were rigged with the tank under the deck in those days.

[John G]

If yours has the original floor, your fuel line from the tank comes through a hole in the floor, under the console sealed with silicone then is attached to a fuel shut off valve mounted on top of a teak block, then the fuel line ran down the rigging trough on the starboard side, all the way back to the transom, where you can mount your water separator near the outlet in the trough. 3/8 ID was the standard fuel line size. This is the way the 17, 19-6 and 22-2 were rigged with the tank under the deck in those days.

Floor is gone and I'm on the rebuild.  Routing of the lines I'm ok with, it's the 1/4" pickup size that confuses me.  Perhaps I need to replace the fitting so that it's 3/8" from the tank back to the engine

[Fish Head]

Know what you mean,I was confused a little too. It’s 1/4 inch thread with a 3/8 barb.

[John G]

Know what you mean,I was confused a little too. It’s 1/4 inch thread with a 3/8 barb.

Oh ok... So that's a 3/8" hose you have on there?
I also have some black goop around my sending unit and those fitting on the exposed threads.  I think it's some type of anti-seize.  Should I take them out and put teflon tape on them?  I know nothing about tanks.

Thanks!

[fitz73222]

Replace with 3/8 barb, also make sure there is no anti-siphon check ball in that fitting block. It will be a spring and a steel ball. If  its there, remove it. It's required for inboard engines but not outboards. It can cause fuel starvation problems in outboards. No Teflon tape on those threads, fuel resistant Permatex which is what it looks like they used which is appropriate. Use that on the replacement fuel barb. Teflon tape is only good for water pipe threads.

[John G]

Replace with 3/8 barb, also make sure there is no anti-siphon check ball in that fitting block. It will be a spring and a steel ball. If  its there, remove it. It's required for inboard engines but not outboards. It can cause fuel starvation problems in outboards. No Teflon tape on those threads, fuel resistant Permatex which is what it looks like they used which is appropriate. Use that on the replacement fuel barb. Teflon tape is only good for water pipe threads.

Awesome, thanks.
So go ahead and unscrew that block and pull it all right out?  Should I also pull the sending unit and use sealer on that too?

[Fish Head]

Whoa! No need to remove the block( fuel pickup).  You need a fuel fitting that mates to the block with 1/4 threads and a 3/8 barb for 3/8 fuel line.

[Fish Head]

Also X2 on fitz’s advice, exactly what I did. One more I used that fitting made out of aluminum like the block. Not sure if brass would be ok in a aluminum block like the pic I attached?